Following S.H.I.E.L.D.'s relegalization, Talbot developed Project Patriot, in order to find a suitable enhanced candidate to serve as both S.H.I.E.L.D.'s new Director, and be publicly perceived as the next Captain America. During the conflict with Aida, he was shot in the head by a Daisy Johnson LMD commanded by Anton Ivanov and Aida. Talbot managed to survive, but ended up in a coma. Unfortunately, trusted subordinate General Hale turned out to be a HYDRA sleeper agent and imprisoned him once he woke up, interrogating him for the location of HYDRA's Particle Infusion Chamber. Though Talbot was rescued by S.H.I.E.L.D., HYDRA used his wife to trigger his Faustus conditioning with orders to abduct Robin Hinton and broadcast the Lighthouse's location. After his first objective was thwarted, Talbot infused himself with Gravitonium to repel the Confederacy's siege. However, he went mad with power and took over the Confederacy instead.

Having seized power, Talbot learned of Thanos' incoming attack against the Earth and, believing himself to be powerful enough to defeat Thanos, Talbot then became obsessed with gaining more Gravitonium. This new quest caused Talbot to lose all sense of his former humanity as he killed innocent people, including Carl Creel, in his quest to gain the ultimate power. Engaging in a devastating attack against Chicago, Talbot's quest came to an end when he was confronted by Quake who, having just become empowered by using the altered version of the Centipede Serum, launched Talbot into space, freezing him to death and putting an end to his rampage.

Contents

Biography

Early Life

Military Career

Glenn Talbot joined the United States Air Force, achieving over the years the rank of Colonel. On one of his missions, he spent five long months in an enemy war camp.[1] He participated in the War on Terror, for which he was awarded with two medals.[2] He was also present in New York during the Battle of New York, as he saw the sky being torn apart and aliens invade the city.[3]

Hunting Phil Coulson

"On behalf on the United States Armed Forces I order you to stand down! I repeat, stand down!""Colonel Talbot? There have to be better things for you to do than chase four S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.""I wasn't a huge fan before chasing you into the damn tundra, Coulson, I wouldn't push it."

In 2014, through the actions of Captain America, the United States Government discovered that the counterintelligence agency S.H.I.E.L.D. was infiltrated by HYDRA.[4] S.H.I.E.L.D. was declared a terrorist organization and Talbot was ordered to take over as many S.H.I.E.L.D. facilities as he could. Talbot called the Hub and spoke with Agent Phil Coulson because he doubted the stability of S.H.I.E.L.D. after the organization's infiltration by HYDRA. Despite all Coulson's efforts, Talbot stated he would be leading a team to take over the Hub, prompting Coulson to take his team on the run before General Talbot arrived.[5]

Talbot arrives in the Providence base

With the help of Maria Hill, Talbot managed to findProvidence, the secret Canadian base created by Nick Fury where Coulson's team was staying. Talbot stepped into the base first with his unit covering him; he called for Coulson to surrender. Coulson stepped forward after Talbot promised not to shoot him. Hill stepped out and convinced Coulson's Team to put down their guns. After rounding up the members of Coulson's team, Antoine Triplett, Jemma Simmons, and Leo Fitz, Talbot allowed Hill and Coulson time to talk, so that Coulson could surrender other secret bases.

In the meantime Talbot questioned the other members of Coulson's Team, telling them to surrender to the US Army, as they were fugitives even if they weren't criminals. When Antoine Triplett assured him that they were not HYDRA, Talbot noted that to the world there was no difference between HYDRA and S.H.I.E.L.D.. Talbot offered them a brief prison sentence in exchange for some high level intel, although Leo Fitz told Talbot to do his worst and Jemma Simmons argued that they should not be his priority as Grant Ward, a known HYDRA agent was getting away as they spoke.

During their conversation, Hill learned from Coulson about Skye's abduction and Grant Ward's defection and decided that Coulson's Team were better served hunting down Ward and his leader HYDRA John Garrett. When Talbot returned to the room to complete his deal with Hill, together, Hill and Coulson attacked Talbot and his men, taking them by surprise. While Hill knocked out Talbot's men, Coulson managed to shoot Talbot with an I.C.E.R. after a lengthy hand to hand fight. Coulson, Hill and the others escaped Providence to pursue Ward while Talbot took control of the base.[6]

Talbot's Crusade

Talbot gives a Television interview

"The corrupt institution has been dismantled, yes. We cut down the tree, we pulled up the roots, but let's just say I'll rest easier when we put them all on the bonfire."

For his actions, Talbot was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. Talbot also became the Armed Forces' television representative, doing interviews with George Stephanopoulos. During one such interview, he bragged about taking down both HYDRA and S.H.I.E.L.D. and that he had a storage facility with S.H.I.E.L.D. paraphernalia.

General Talbot spends time with his family

While spending time with his wife and son in Potomac Plaza, Talbot was bumped into by a stranger, the stranger placed a phone in Talbot's pocket. When the phone rang, Talbot was at first confused about where the phone came from and ordered his wife to take their son away for their own protection. Talbot then answered the phone and spoke to Phil Coulson who warned him he was about to be attacked by the Absorbing Man. Talbot, seeking to arrest Coulson, put more thought into find his target rather than protecting himself, refusing the help and snapping the phone in two.

Talbot got his real phone and called for reinforements from the United States Armed Forces to come to his location immediately. As promised, Creel, who had learned from HYDRA that the Obelisk was in Talbot's storage facility, sneaked up on Talbot and attacked him. However Talbot was warned of the attack by Melinda May and was able to defend himself long enough for May to assist him, who battled Creel as he transported his body into steel and attacked the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Talbot saved by the combined efforts of May and Skye, who assisted Talbot's men in capturing Creel by using a Taser Projectile Launcher to subdue the assassin while the soldiers subdued and arrested Creel.

Talbot was surrounded by Lance Hunter and Isabelle Hartley who were disguised as Army Soldiers. While Talbot ordered his men to secure Creel, Hartley pulled him from the scene in order to get him to cover. However, when the Military Leader sought to take him to safety, Talbot was already kidnapped by Hunter and Hartley who took him to a S.H.I.E.L.D. SUV where May smugly captured him at gun point. Realizing he'd been tricked, Talbot cursed Coulson's name before he was driven away from the scene without his soldiers knowing what had happened as they took Creel away.

Talbot is questioned by Coulson on the Bus

Confined to the cage of the Bus, Talbot was visited by Phil Coulson who attempted to convince Talbot that S.H.I.E.L.D. was not the terrorist organization he was convinced they were and suggested they begin working together. Talbot however refused to listen and furiously vowed to destroy their work. When Coulson changed tactics and suggested that their work protected people like Talbot's son, Talbot became angry, gripping the chair handles so Coulson explained that Creel's plan was to go to the Government Storage Warehouse to steal the Obelisk before he shot Talbot with an I.C.E.R..

Talbot awakes in a car and calls for backup

When Talbot woke up in his car he immediately phoned the military to pick him up, using his passcode to get past security systems. He was unaware however that Coulson had tricked him into revealing the location and codes to the Government Storage Warehouse. Coulson was forced to use voice-altering software to mimic Talbot's voice when Private Tilden refused to allow the undercover team Coulson sent inside the base to enact the Infiltration into the Government Storage Warehouse, during which they encountered Carl Creel again and successfully stole a Quinjet.[7]

Later, the United States Armed Forces captured S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and mercenary Lance Hunter, after Hunter's teammates were killed by Carl Creel in a car crash. Hunter was thrown in the boot of a car and driven to a field where he met with Brigadier General Talbot. While Hunter remained confused about his situation, Talbot greeted him with respect and offered him a lift in a military helicopter.

During a helicopter ride Talbot tried to convince him to give up Phil Coulson's secret base by offering him money, which he would acquire from Christian Ward. Talbot commented on Hunter's military history, although Hunter seemed unfazed and noted that it was all in the past for him. Hunter seemingly agreed to the offer however in exchange for two million dollars and a proper burial for his friend Isabelle Hartley. Hunter was dropped off back on the ground and given a car to drive back to Coulson's base. However Hunter decided not to give into Talbot's offer and continued working for Coulson.

At the specified amount of time, Talbot, with other soldiers, confronted Coulson. Coulson gave him the captive Absorbing Man, who had been turned into stone by with Overkill Device after a fight with Coulson's team. Coulson asked Talbot to give S.H.I.E.L.D. breathing room to operate in exchange for Creel's arrest, which would undoubtedly give Talbot another promotion. Talbot, thinking he had the advantage, tried to capture Coulson until the Bus deactivated its cloak and showed its aimed guns. Coulson then left Talbot in awe by departing in a cloaked Quinjet.[8]

Sunil Bakshiimpersonated Talbot in order to gain a 500 year old painting with the Words of Creation inscribed on its back. Phil Coulson and Melinda May had a video chat with Talbot informing him of the situation, Talbot questioned how Coulson could have mistaken Bakshi for him as Talbot had no interest in art. Talbot asked Coulson to talk to him longer so he could trace his call back to the Playground, but Coulson abruptly disconnected the line.[1]

Hearing at the United Nations

During a hearing at the United Nations Headquarters, Talbot gave a speech about how S.H.I.E.L.D., in his view, used the public's trust and resources to further their own goals, and still does. He commented on how S.H.I.E.L.D. had secretly collected super-powered individuals to create the Avengers, put bases across the globe without giving any explanation and had inadvertently caused the Battle of New York, which Talbot witnessed first hand. Adamo Dioli, the Italian spokesman, questioned Talbot's arguments and claimed that Talbot had no proof to his views.

Before the debate could continue, Dioli was hit by a Splinter Bomb, causing him to scream in pain as his body disintegrated in a matter of seconds. The building came under attack by HYDRA operatives, posing as S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, led by mercenary Marcus Scarlotti, who had thrown the bomb at Dioli and threw a second at one of the guards. As Talbot tried to evacuate the building with others, Scarlotti claimed that S.H.I.E.L.D. was done hiding, and threw a Splinter Bomb in Talbot's direction. Talbot managed to evade the bomb and escaped with just a broken arm.

Talbot went to see Senator Christian Ward, his benefactor. Ward berated him for allowing S.H.I.E.L.D. to attack him and the United Nations, while bragging about defeating the organization. Talbot told him that he did not believe he was attacked by S.H.I.E.L.D. and assured the senator that he has not revealed Ward's connection to the HYDRA traitor Grant Ward, his estranged brother. Ward decided to make a statement condemning S.H.I.E.L.D.'s actions and called for a multi-national police force to target and prosecute those organizations with ties connected to S.H.I.E.L.D..

When Scarlotti attacked a S.H.I.E.L.D. Safe House in Bruges, killing all the agents inside including Noelle Walters, he was defeated by the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents Melinda May, Bobbi Morse and Lance Hunter. Talbot eventually went to the Safe House in Bruges, in order to arrest Scarlotti and his HYDRA team. As Scarlotti was being transported into Talbot's custody, Talbot gave his condolences to Melinda May for the deaths of six agents, telling her that it was always a shame when a good agent dies. The pair shook hands and departed, showing their mutual respect for each other.[3]

Video Conference

"Sunil Bakshi... the man tied to the Navy wedding massacre, the U.N. attack, and who tried to kill you, Coulson.""While dressed up as you, sir.""Safe to say, I'm not a fan.""Perfect. I'll trade him to you to add to your collection."

Searching for the Mole

"There is a mole on our base, this mole infiltrated security by posing as my wife and could be anyone in this room right now. Make no mistake, this is an enemy combatant, one not to be taken lightly. But rest assured I will find this perpetrator, because if there is one thing I cannot stand, it is a spy in my house."

While in his office, Talbot was speaking to Decker about the positives of the new lawnmower he had purchased when he received a call that his wife had just arrived and had left her I.D. at home, so Talbot allowed her to come up. Before she arrived however, Tablot then received a phone call from Carla saying that she was actually still stuck in traffic.

Talbot realizes the base has been attacked

Realizing that someone must have come into the base while wearing the Photostatic Veil to disguise themselves and get past Campbell on security, Talbot called for an immediate lock-down of the entire base until he found the spy. Turning to Decker, Talbot called for every single female member of staff at the base to be gathered together, and not to allow anybody to leave the base, not even him, much to Decker's confusion. Talbot then began cursing the mask for it's deception, remembering when it was last used by HYDRA to trick S.H.I.E.L.D. by disguising the user as Talbot himself.

Talbot gathers all his female staff members

Talbot had every female member of staff line up in front of him, as he knew whoever had disguised themselves as his life was clearly a female spy. Once all the women had been gather, General Talbot explained the situation to them all, telling the United States Armed Forces soldiers that there was a spy in the base who could have disguised themselves as anybody in that room. Despite the staff members being highly confused by this concept, Talbot remained confident and vowed that he would find the spy and bring them to justice as he hated the concept of being tricked.

In an attempt to catch the spy out, began to ask each of the women personal questions to test them, such as asking one woman if her daughter went to the same school as his son, to which she reminded him that she did not have a daughter, at which point smiled and agreed, making it clear he knew she was not the spy. When Talbot came to Meredith Tredwyck, he became convinced she was the spy, announcing it to everyone and even trying to pull off the mask, only to learn that he was mistaken. He apologized to Tredwyck before cursing at his failure to discover the true spy anywhere.

Talbot aims his gun at his wife by mistake

With his agents cleared of suspicion, Talbot was leaving the office with Decker when he came across his wife. Talbot pulled his gun on her and ordered her to lie face down on the floor, believing her to be the spy. Carla however explained that the guard behind the desk was missing and she had just come to drop off their lunch, before bursting into tears due to confusion. Talbot quickly realized that the woman was indeed his wife. He learned that the spy had escaped the facility alongside her companion, Grant Ward, and their hostage Sunil Bakshi, whom they had broken out of prison.

Talbot later called Phil Coulson and Melinda May to inform them of the incident. He explained to Coulson that his men had spotted on the CCTV camera from outside, Grant Ward with the spy kidnapping Sunil Bakshi and driving away with him. Talbot expressed his grief at having lost three good soldiers during the attack as well as nearly losing his own marriage due to the confusion and chaos they had caused, so Coulson assured him they would do everything in their power to find Ward and bring him to justice, as S.H.I.E.L.D. had their own reasons to want Ward dealt with as soon as possible.[10]

The New Position

"I'm technically your boss now right? But I'd prefer to be partners.""You are not now, nor will you ever be, my boss, and we will never be partners! I didn't ask to get up in front of this side show circus."

Talbot's wife Carla blamed her husband and his career position for losing their son and decided to get on a plane and leave him. Talbot took her to the airport and tried desperately to get her to change her mind, promising that he would find a way to fix this problem, but she ignored his pleas and got on the plane. As Talbot watched her leave he was visited by Phil Coulson, who came to speak to him about the future relationship between both S.H.I.E.L.D. and the ATCU, although Talbot attempted to ignore him, but Coulson simply reminded Talbot that he was technically his boss from his point onwards.

As they walked through the airport, Talbot and Coulson discussed the upcoming Symposium on Alien Contagion where the future of the Inhumans would be discussed, and which Matthew Ellis wished them to attend together to give their own viewpoints. Coulson noted that S.H.I.E.L.D. believed that Gideon Malick would likely have a mole at the meeting who they needed to find and arrest so that Malick could be found and brought to justice. As Coulson prepared to leave in his car in commented that he genuinely wished that Talbot and his wife repaired their relationship for their own young son's sake.

When Coulson was suddenly warned by Melinda May that an enemy target was heading their way, Coulson looked across the car park and saw the target was Carl Creel and assumed Talbot was Creel's target, so he then threw Talbot into his car for his own protection. Coulson, May and Lincoln Campbell then battled Creel until they were able to use his powers against him and defeated him, at which point Talbot was freed from the car. Talbot furiously rushed over and demanded an explanation, before he informed them that Creel was not there to assassinate him but was really there to protect him.

Back at the Playground, Talbot clashed with Lance Hunter who had still utterly despised Creel for his part in the killing of two of Hunter's close friends, Isabelle Hartley and Idaho, although Talbot had insisted that this was purely due to Daniel Whitehall's brainwashing. Talbot insisted that he trusted Creel and refused to give him up, vowing that he would not attend the meeting without him. Despite Daisy Johnson arguing that they did not need him, Coulson explained that they did need the head of the ATCU and agreed to allow Creel to join them on their mission, still acting as Talbot's personal bodyguard.

While travelling onboard Zephyr One towards Taiwan, Talbot listened alongside May and Bobbi Morse as Director Coulson briefed them on what to expect from the mission. Coulson explained that the other deligates attending the meeting would be Anton Petrov, Xiao Chen, Ellen King, Haruto Yakimura or Nathi Zuma and one of these people would be most likely be Malick's mole, feeding him vital information on the status of the Inhumans around the world. Coulson explained that their mission would be to find a way towards a peaceful solution to the Inhuman Outbreak while also locating Malick's mole in there before to ensure HYDRA could not learn of their intentions.[11]

Reluctant Betrayal

"Alright I kept up my end of the bargain, I delievered Coulson, all the delegates are on your side, now give me back my son!""I'm sorry, I can't do that.""No! We had a deal!""Yes but unfortunately we must all be sacrificed to the greater good."

General Talbot was furious when Phil Coulson convinced him to wear a traditional long-gown at the meeting, while Coulson argued it was a respectful gesture. Once inside Talbot met Anton Petrov and introduced Coulson as Sean Lundwall of the CDC. Coulson shook hands with Petrov and the other delegates, using his Prosthetic Hand to scan their fingerprints. Talbot suspected everyone, accusing Xiao Chen of being too nice and Ellen King of being hotheaded.

Talbot, Coulson and the delegates gathered in the meeting room and Talbot gave a brief opening statement in which he thanked them all for attending on behalf of Matthew Ellis. The conversation quickly turned to Inhumans, with Coulson attempting to convince the group that they were only seeking peace. While Haruto Yakimura remained skeptical, Petrov had suggested that Russia was potentially willing to make themselves a sanctuary state for the Inhumans to keep them from harm. Nathi Zuma agreed with Petrov and called for their vote. Talbot and Coulson briefly discussed what their options were.

Moments before Chen called for the vote, Talbot interrupted her and called the guards in, announcing that there was a traitor in the room, before shockingly accusing Coulson and showing the guests how Coulson had been spying on them all and was not Sean Lundwall as he claimed to be. Gideon Malick then entered the room and accused Coulson of being the Director of HYDRA. Coulson then discovered that Talbot was the traitor, in which he responded "Kumbaya". Malick used images of Lash's past victims to accuse Coulson of wanting to exterminate Inhumans while Talbot reluctantly stood by his side.

Malick had Coulson taken into the basement for execution and Talbot followed closely behind, demanding that Malick finally give him back his kidnapped son now the agreement had been completed as he had wanted. However Malick refused to complete the deal on his end and instead locked Talbot into the cage beside Coulson, handcuffing them to each other while Talbot still furiously cursed at him. When Coulson had questioned his motives for what he was doing, Malick explained that he was building an army before leaving the room and then ordering all of his soldiers to execute the pair of them.

While waiting for their deaths, Talbot joked that he prefer Coulson die first so he could be left in peace from listening to him at long last, but when Coulson questioned why he still remained confident despite the circumstances, Talbot explained that he had a man on the inside. At that moment Carl Creel burst into the room and defeated all of the guards, explaining that he and Lance Hunter had found Talbot's son. When another guard burst in, Talbot and Coulson were forced to run while still they were handcuffed together, with Talbot also grabbing Coulson's Prosthetic Hand on their way out of the door.

Talbot demands to know where his son is

Once Talbot explained his situation with Malick to Coulson, they then regrouped with Creel, Lance Hunter and Bobbi Morse, before Creel used his enhanced strength to finally free them of their handcuffs. The furious Talbot grabbed a nearby HYDRA guard and demanded to know where his son was, when the man failed to answer, Talbot then knocked him out with a single hard punch to the face. While Coulson ordered Hunter and Morse to go to Russia after Malick, the rest all escaped once Melinda May had located George Talbot inside the van where he was being kept in Suspension Gel for transportation.[11]

Partnering with S.H.I.E.L.D.

Back on Zephyr One, Talbot sat beside his sleeping son as he slowly recovered from his ordeal. Phil Coulson stood by and commented on how happy his wife would be now he had fixed the situation. They briefly discussed their partnership and when Coulson casually called him General, Talbot told him to call him Glenn, although he noted this would only be occasionally.[11] Returning to the ATCU, Talbot assisted in the arrest of Watchdog Oscar when he was captured by Daisy Johnson.[13]

Wiping Out HYDRA

"I was looking forward to making that traitor talk. You all right?""Yeah, fine. I just I thought we'd seen the last of HYDRA.""Well, don't worry. After today, you'll never have to see one of those squids again."

Having learned through Malick's confessions that HYDRA's influence had even infected the United States Air Force, Talbot took a team of soldiers and burst inside the office of General Fischer and demanded that he surrender, having learned Fischer was an undercover HYDRA spy. Seeing that Fischer was speaking with General Hale in his office, Talbot advised her to move aside for her own safety while his soldiers kept their weapons aimed at Fischer. However before Fischer could be arrested, he defiantly gave the HYDRA salute before biting down on a hidden Cyanide Pill and then collapsed in terrible agony.

With Talbot furiously cursing out his men for allowing Fischer to take the suicide pill, he then ordered his men to get Fischer to medical to try and save his life. Alone with Hale, Talbot expressed his annoyance as he wanted to interrogate Fischer personally. When Hale seemed shaken, Talbot asked if she was okay to which she noted that she had believed they had seen the last of HYDRA following the deaths of both Daniel Whitehall and Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, only for Talbot to promise that following that night she would never have to worry about seeing another secret HYDRA agent ever again.[15]

In response to the United Nations decision to push forward with the newly formed Sokovia Accords, General Talbot had then been sent by President Matthew Ellis to speak with Phil Coulson about any of the enhanced soldiers he may have at S.H.I.E.L.D.. Talbot soon met Coulson at a bar where he questioned him about failing to show off his base while also asking about Coulson's damaged leg, as Coulson was now walking with a cane due to the recent injury. Talbot explained the situation and advised Coulson to reveal the truth so S.H.I.E.L.D. could be recognized by the government again.

Much to Talbot's annoyance, Coulson continued to refuse to give up any information about the Inhumans he may have working for him, noting that the Accords had led to the Avengers Civil War and that his teams worked in the shadows while the Avengers were public. Talbot advised Coulson to reveal the truth about his work, promising that he would find out the information with or without his help. Upon hearing this, Coulson finally agreed to cooperate and promised to take Talbot to the Playground, revealing that the bar held the secret entrance taking them straight to the base underneath them.

Talbot admired how he had been unaware of the SSR base while had Coulson explained that its location was never on record while asking him not to report his Secret Warriors to Ellis, claiming that soldiers like these required secrecy to work. While Talbot demanded to know how many Inhumans Coulson had he was introduced to the now just arriving Elena Rodriguez, who claimed that if her name was put on record then she would become a target. Rodriguez demonstrated her super speed by stealing Talbot's own medals from his uniform before Talbot and Coulson continued their debate, discussing the Index.

Talbot was then taken to Lincoln Campbell, whom he remembered for trying to kill Carl Creel during their first encounter. Talbot pitched the Sokovia Accords to Campbell, explaining that they were there for protection of enhanced individuals like Campbell, noting that clearly Campbell had control issues. Campbell questioned how registration would work and agreed to sign the Accords and register his powers, much to Coulson's surprise. Talbot questioned why Campbell did not use his powers to escape from the base and he explained that while he could he would not get far enough away without help.

Wishing to see the ugly side of Coulson's Inhumans, Talbot was then taken to Lash, who was being kept inside the Containment Module to ensure he could not escape. Talbot was utterly mortified but Coulson explained that the monster was once Andrew Garner before he had undergone his Terrigenesis while Talbot questioned why it was being kept at the base, recommending it be kept in Suspension Gel. Talbot asked where Daisy Johnson was before revealing that he had already known Johnson was with the believed dead Grant Ward, noting that he had wanted to know if Coulson would lie to his face.[16]

Going inside of Phil Coulson's office, Talbot was informed that Daisy Johnson had become a slave to the god of the Inhumans who had been known as Hive. All the theories of Hive were explained by Leo Fitz, but Coulson insisted that Hive was not the devil, simply another Inhuman who had taken over the corpse of Grant Ward. Talbot argued this situation proved why the Sokovia Accords were needed as Jemma Simmons was explaining that Hive now had the Kree blood and Terrigen Crystals that he needed to create more Inhumans.

As Talbot began to furiously demand to know how they could hope to stop Hive considering the power he had, Coulson told him to calm down, which then caused Talbot to really lose his temper before then questioning how Coulson stayed so calm, who explained that he was getting used to these situations. Talbot insisted that their next move must be to call the United States Armed Forces to bomb Hive but Coulson refused, arguing that it would take too long. Fitz confirmed that Hive had stolen something from the ATCU which could help his plans while Coulson asked Talbot to put some trust in them.

The group then realized that Johnson had hacked into their systems and helped Lincoln Campbell to escape his room, seemingly so he could regroup with her and join Hive's army. While Talbot berated Coulson about the break out they encountered Melinda May, who had claimed that Campbell could escape the way Talbot had gotten in through the bar. Despite doing whatever they could, eventually it seemed Campbell had escaped inside a Quinjet after attacking and subduing Alphonso Mackenzie, but May appeared and revealed that it had all in fact been a secret plan to fool Johnson.

Talbot was informed that Lash had been put in Campbell's place. While Campbell and May explained how the plan had been put forward, Talbot listened and complimented Campbell on tricking him while noting that he was impressed by Coulson's deception. They discussed all the risks for Johnson in bringing Lash to attack Hive, although it was agreed that it was the best option they had. Talbot questioned Campbell as to why he believed that Lash could defeat Hive, with Campbell claiming that all Inhumans had a purpose and they believed that Lash's true purpose was to destroy Hive.

Eventually Johnson returned to the Playground having been saved from Hive's mind control by Lash, she then told Talbot that Lash had been killed by Hellfire before he could destroy Hive. Talbot, Coulson, Mackenzie and Elena Rodriguez then watched as Simmons treated Johnson while Talbot questioned if this was all a trick. Eventually Simmons confirmed that Johnson was now safe and they discussed Hive's plan to use Terrigen Crystals and the missile to complete his plan, with Talbot confirming that he had recently stolen the warhead from the ATCU which could be used in his diabolical plans.[16]

Stopping Hive's Plans

"I can tell by your beady little eyes that you're a worm, so let me be absolutely honest with you. If you don't find a solution to this problem, you're going to end up looking like one of those mouth breathers you made. Do you understand?""How could I not?"

In an attempt to stop Hive from succeeding his his plan to launch the missile filled with his deadly Terrigen Mist which could turn the entire population of Earth into the Primitives, General Talbot immediately contacted General Andaz and requested that he be given permission to gain the kill code in order to override their launch. Andaz refused to disobey protocol, but Talbot had Leo Fitz use S.H.I.E.L.D. technology to scan Andaz's face to be used to override his orders.

Standing in front of a green screen, Fitz used the motion detectors to make himself appear as Andaz on a screen, with Talbot ensuring that he remained the correct height to pull off the deception, despite Fitz being distracted by the technology and making several silly faces. They then contacted Undersecretary Walter Thomas and convinced him that Phil Coulson, who was currently collecting all the kill codes, was a member of the Advanced Threat Containment Unit and had full authorization to collect their codes. Despite being suspicious about their motivations, Thomas did as he was instructed by Talbot.

The codes succeeded with stopping the missile from being launched before the Secret Warriors had eventually managed to capture Hive within Suspension Gel. While Talbot spoke with Coulson while they were still inside the Playground about his plan to send Inhumans on the mission, he congratulated him on their successful plan and they discussed the Primitives, with Talbot also noting that he did not want anyone else on Earth becoming another one of those things. Coulson however noted that the war head was still missing as Giyera had just stolen it during the mission and therefore there was still a risk.

Talbot and Coulson were then interrupted by Melinda May who came to introduce Doctor Holden Radcliffe who had been responsible for transforming all the men into the Primitives while captured by Hive. Despite Radcliffe still attempting to insist that he was a victim and a hostage in the situation, commenting on Talbot's mustache to try and relax the situation, Talbot was not swayed as he insulted Radcliffe while ordering him to find whatever kind of cure he could to help the people he had infected, warning that if he failed then he would likely be transformed into one himself as a direct punishment.[17]

Creating the Patriot

Recreating Captain America

"I'll handle this, I'm gonna squeeze our prisoner like a lime wedge on dollar beer night, now find me some sciencey way to regain contact with our men on the ground. You all have jobs to do, if you'll excuse me I have to update the leader of the free world."

In order to eliminate prejudice against Inhumans and to ensure that the Inhumans would trust the new S.H.I.E.L.D., Mace was ordered to pretend to be an Inhuman himself. Talbot attended a public meeting in which Director Mace gave a speech thanking Quake for all of her work to protect innocent people while she was supposedly working undercover, bringing out Michelle Caldwell to make her own personal statement. During the speech, Talbot carried the briefcase containing the Patriot Serum vials before handing them to Burrows, handcuffing it to him. While Caldwell spoke about Quake saving her life.

During the speeches, Quake was able to spot a sniper on the roof and warned Director Mace, who used his podium to block the Judas Bullet before it exploded, saving his own life and Caldwell's. While Quake found and subdued the sniper, Talbot pushed his way through all the panicked crowds and found both Phil Coulson and Alphonso Mackenzie, ordering them to take Director Mace out of harm's way by flying him toward a S.H.I.E.L.D. Safe House onboard one of their Quinjets. With the sniper now in custody, Talbot focused on bringing him in for questioning about the assassination attempt.

Returning into the Playground, it was soon discovered that Mace's Quinjet had been attacked and had fallen off their radar, making it impossible for them to figure out where they crash landed. Talbot was joined by Melinda May, Quake and Jemma Simmons in Mace's office where they discussed what was to be done next, but despite May and Simmons demanding more clearance, Talbot refused and continued to take full command of the entire operation before he was called by President Matthew Ellis who demanded an update on both Mace and the briefcase's condition at this current time.

Seeking answers, Talbot sat down with the assassin Yuri Zaikin and demanded answers, recommending that Zaikin stop using the silent treatment. Zaikin then revealed that he and his men had considered every possible outcome to their actions and had found the ways to ensure Mace's death in all of them. Having learned that Zaikin had joined the Watchdogs in the wake of the end of HYDRA, Talbot then revealed to Zaikin that he was the one who had led the recent and successful Destruction of HYDRA, but Kaikin was still unintimidated and refused to speak to Talbot to the Watchdogs' plans.[19]

Confessing the Truth

Talbot expresses his annoyance at the results

"You needed a face for your poster. Fine. Your girl Daisy went rogue. The president tasked me with finding the next Captain America. Not an easy job! But I did it, I delivered a Patriot, a bonafide American hero! That man could have done anything after Vienna."

Talbot furiously walked into the Playground's lab and complained about no longer being able to use tactics he used during the Cold War, much to the other agents disapproval. Talbot asked for a new update on Jeffrey Mace's location only to be told by Leo Fitz that it was impossible to find him due to a device blocking the tracking systems on their Quinjet. Believing that the Watchdogs were behind this attack, Jemma Simmons requested a chance to access Senator Ellen Nadeer and Mace's files, but Talbot refused.

As she checked her ipad however, Simmons realized that she had gained access to the previously blocked file on Project Patriot and demanded to know what it was and why Talbot was trying to hide it. Seeing that he had no way to block Simmons from reading it, Talbot ordered all the other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to then leave the lab and explained how he not restarted all Abraham Erskine's work but had given Mace a modified version of Calvin Zabo's Formula to give him super strength. Talbot stood by his decision and explained that there was a chance Mace was now out there without any power.

While Simmons summed up the situation with the Attack on Jeffrey Mace, Fitz confirmed that he still could not find a way to locate the Quinjet's signal. With no other choice, they then focused back on trying to break Yuri Zaikin although Talbot insisted it was not so easy, but Simmons came up with a plan. Returning to Zaikin's room, Talbot revealed that Simmons had once been undercover in HYDRA and she claimed to have learned a few things about torture. With Talbot stood by, Simmons then opened a box to reveal Aida's severed head to Zaikin, horrifying him to the point to told them everything.

Using the intel Zaikin provided, Melinda May and Quake were able to rescue Director Mace and bring them back to the Playground. While in Mace's office, Talbot was berated by Phil Coulson for being a part of Project Patriot due to the risks involved with it, however Talbot argued that S.H.I.E.L.D. needed the Inhumans on their side and this was the best choice since Quake and Captain America had both gone rogue. While Talbot boasted about his achievement in providing a Patriot, Mace then asked him to leave the room while he spoke to Coulson privately, much to Talbot's great annoyance.[19]

Dealing with Ellen Nadeer

"This move just exposed the fact that we have a leak. Someone tipped Nadeer off we were coming. You opposed the op. Did you warn her?""I believed in you when no one else did Phil. No, I am not the leak. S.H.I.E.L.D. only exists because of me, and maybe that's a mistake."

Calling a new meeting, it was agreed that Quake should now sign the Sokovia Accords to go make a public statement about S.H.I.E.L.D. becoming a legitimate organisation once again. However, to Talbot's annoyance, Phil Coulson revealed that they also planned to use the meeting as a chance to get into Ellen Nadeer's office and plant cameras. Talbot insisted they reconsider, as this was too risky but Coulson reminded him of Project Patriot's risks. Coulson insisted that S.H.I.E.L.D. now needed to be proactive and told Talbot he would leave dealing with politicians to him.

As they prepared to leave for the mission, Coulson informed Jeffrey Mace and Talbot that Alphonso Mackenzie would not be joining them. Talbot once again insisted that Coulson and Mace reconsider attacking Nadeer's office, but Coulson told him that Nadeer was far too dangerous to be allowed to go on unmonitored. With no choice, Talbot told Coulson to prepare S.H.I.E.L.D. records in case anything went wrong and Nadeer demanded a review of them. When Mace backed up all of Coulson's orders, Talbot noted that Mace now had to agree with whatever Coulson had said to him.

Upon arriving at the meeting, General Talbot got inbetween Ellen Nadeer and Director Mace just as they began having a clash of words in which Nadeer claimed she was surprised to see him while Quake claimed she was just surprised to see him alive after her recent assassination attempt. When Nadeer made the comment that many questions would be answered during this meeting, Quake questioned Talbot about what she could mean by that, with Talbot simply saying that he guessed they would soon find out Nadeer's true intentions once the meeting had finally begun.

As the meeting went underway, Talbot watched as Quake was then questioned by Chairman Gene Williams and Senator Maria Nunez until it was Nadeer's own turn to speak. As Talbot listened, Nadeer accused Quake of focusing on helping the Inhumans over normal Humans before demanding to know what she had done with all the seven million dollars she had stolen while supposedly undercover, something that Quake struggled to defend. As Nadeer continued to press the subject, Talbot tried to speak up only to be told to remain seated by Chairman Williams so Nadeer could finish speaking.

Despite Talbot's best efforts to defend S.H.I.E.L.D. and insist that it was not engaging in any criminal activities, Nadeer was able to bring in Coulson and Yo-Yo Rodriguez who had just been discovered by her men installing the cameras inside her office. Nadeer made a point that Rodriguez had also signed the Sokovia Accords but had taken part on this mission with the approval of the United Nations which went against what the Accords stood for and was a clear violation of the new law. Noting this is what had happened with Quake, Nadeer accused S.H.I.E.L.D. of being a criminal organisation.

Talbot was called into a meeting with Mace, Nadeer and Williams in which it was decided that a full investigation into S.H.I.E.L.D. was required, leading to Talbot furiously blaming Coulson. Just as Talbot accused Coulson of never taking his advice, Coulson reminded him of how he had lied about Project Patriot and the mission in Taiwan, to which Talbot reminded him how Gideon Malick had kidnapped his son. Coulson then accused Talbot of possibly being the leak within S.H.I.E.L.D., but Talbot claimed he was not and that he had now lost all of his good faith in Coulson's leadership skills.[20]

Hunting S.H.I.E.L.D., Again

"Necessary?! It's essential, unless you can explain to me in 50 words or less why I found Jeffrey Mace's body washed up on a beach with his bones Quaked apart, days after I found this base in flames! Flesh melting off of robot bodies; twelve S.H.I.E.L.D. agents in critical with burns or broken bones; three dead, double hits to the heart and crushed frickin' skulls!"

Following the Destruction of the Playground and the discovery of the desecrated body of Director Jeffrey Mace, Talbot discovered Aida's attempted infiltration of S.H.I.E.L.D. Given the shattered state of the Mace's bones Talbot assumed Quake was his killer and that several agents had been replaced by Aida. While investigating the situation Talbot released a statement implying Quake had something to do with the destruction of the Playground and also implyed that any agents would be treated as a hostile.

General Talbot then set up a quarantine all around the Playground as well as having soldiers of the United States Armed Forces guard the place. However this did not stop Phil Coulson from sneaking in to refuel the Zephyr One and to contain Aida following the construction of her new organic body infusedwithpowers. While Coulson was still onboard, Talbot and his own soldiers boarded and held the agents at gunpoint, with Talbot demanding an explanation over Mace's death and the robotic bodies that were found in the burned remains of the Playground, with Coulson noting that the explanation might prove to be somewhat difficult for the General to understand.

Coulson explained to Talbot that they had all been kidnapped by the terrorist calling himself the Superior who, alongside Aida, had locked the agents inside the Framework, the digital reality which had been created by Holden Radcliffe which they had only just escaped from, with Mace losing his life inside this virtual reality. While Talbot still struggled to believe their story, he then attempted to arrest them all until things could be explaiend. But Aida got loose before anything could happen, murdering more agents and soldiers in her psychotic rage, leading to an armed standoff between Quake and Talbot.

With Talbot knowing he and all his men did not stand a chance going against Quake's Inhuman power, he ordered them to back off while the agents made their escape from the base. The Zephyr began to lift off and still confused on what was happening, Talbot decided to stay behind to continue his investigation into what had caused all of the chaos. Once Talbot had investigated the aftermath of Aida's rampage across the Playground, he decided to restrict access to the base by calling in hazmat teams. He then left the building, missing the return of the Ghost Rider through a portal within the Playground.[21]

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s War

"I've got a dozen intelligence agencies who now know that Mace wasn't an Inhuman. They know S.H.I.E.L.D. lied about it, and they're wondering what else you might've lied about.""That was your lie, not ours.""Damn it, Phil, you're missing the point. There's an international intelligence inquiry tomorrow morning, and I need you there."

As General Talbot walked down a corridor with Lieutenant Evans, he contacted Phil Coulson, informing him that several soldiers had been killed by Aida and that several intelligence agencies now knew of their lies regarding Jeffrey Mace. Talbot then told Coulson about an inquiry meeting with members of the board, although Coulson refused to attend the meeting as Aida was still targeting them.

Without Coulson present, Talbot then attended the meeting where he witnessed Anton Ivanov presenting the Darkhold to all of the board members, as he claimed that for too long they had turned a blind eye to all S.H.I.E.L.D.'s actions behind the scenes and also claimed they had been weaponising the Inhumans, which Talbot furiously denied. While Ivanov and Sergei Mishkin presented the Darkhold and claimed that it held the answers they would need to bring down S.H.I.E.L.D., Talbot attempted to stop Ivanov's suggestion to the board members about reading the book, claiming it to all be a deception.

However, as the meeting still continued, Talbot and everybody else overheard gunshots as Daisy Johnson burst into the room. As Talbot questioned if Coulson was also with Johnson, she unexpectedly drew a gun and she then shot Talbot directly in the head, revealing herself to be a Life-Model Decoy. Talbot survived the gunshot and was then taken to hospital to recover, with Evans furiously blaming S.H.I.E.L.D. and Quake for the attack.[22] While Talbot remained in a coma due to his injury, General Hale was sent to replace him and capture the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents believed to be responsible.[23]

Slow Recovery

Rebuilding Motor Skills

"No! No! That's not a friggin' cat! That's not a cat!""Glenn honey, everything is okay. George is just trying to help.""No, he showed me this this This is a tiger! I said it was a cat, and he said it was right, but I'm not right! I'm wrong! How am I gonna get better if nobody's honest with me?!"

In the wake of his shooting at the hands of a Life-Model Decoy which had resulted in Talbot getting a bullet in the head,[22] Talbot was then transferred to a hospital for treatment. Although he survived the gunshot itself, Talbot found that his motor skills had been severely damaged, resulting in him struggling with his memory and his control over his temper. Talbot however was assisted in his struggle by his wife and son who remained by his bedside through his recovery.

While still in his bed one day, Talbot tested his recovering memory by having George Talbot show him cards with pictures so he would have to try and remember the order that the images were shown. However during the game, Talbot lost control of his temper and accused his son of lying about what images were on the cards, confusing a cat with a tiger. Despite Carla Talbot trying to reassure him, Ford then entered the room and gave Talbot more drugs to knock him out. As a result, Carla agreed to let Talbot go with General Hale in order to get what Hale described as specialist treatment for his injury.[15]

Held Captive

"That's right. I'm the one that hid the HYDRA contraband. And you want to know something else? I'm not talking.""You got to let go of these old symbols. You need to let go of the old Talbot. I am giving you new purpose. Help me save humanity.""I would rather die on my two legs than slither on eight with you."

Having been pumped full of drugs, Talbot lost consciousness and, much to his surprise, awoke in a seemingly deserted facility with no idea how he had gotten there. As Talbot looked around the room, he discovered a set of new clothes had been left out for him but still had no idea where he was or where his wife and son were. Seeking some kind of answer, Talbot put on the clothes and began to explore the facility, searching for any sign of another person there.

As Talbot began exploring the facility, he had discovered that it was seemingly abandoned, although he was still able to find the kitchen which was stocked with breakfast supplies. Commenting to himself about just how hungry he was, Talbot went straight to the Captain Crunch cereal, joking that in the United States Armed Forces he still technically outranked Crunch. Just as Talbot ate the cereal however, he was joined by Ruby who stood next to him while still listening to music and took some food without saying a word. As Talbot began questioning where he was, Ruby ignored him and walked away.

Disgusted that Ruby dared to ignore him, Talbot furiously followed Ruby into the facility's gym and continued demanding answers over where he was and who she was. As Talbot aggressively attempted to rip Ruby's headphones out of her ears, Ruby responded by twisting Talbot's arm, causing him to fall to the floor in pain. Ruby was then stopped by the arrival of General Hale who revealed that Ruby was in fact her daughter. Talbot then expressed his own surprise that in the twenty years he had known her, Hale had never mentioned having a child before Hale finally told Ruby to let go of Talbot's wrist.

Talbot once again demanded to know where he was, only for Hale to refuse to answer him. Annoyed at the way Hale spoke to her superior officer, Talbot furiously asked the questioned again until Ruby held one of her Ring Blades up to Talbot's throat. Hale then reminded the frozen Talbot how his career within the Air Force was now over and his family were afraid of him due to his poor mental state. Once free of Ruby's threat, Talbot questioned why Hale told him this, to which she noted that there was a time in her life when she felt everything was out of control and now she believed she could help Talbot.

As Hale offered to show Talbot what she had been working on, she brought him to look at an alien device she had, which Talbot noted he did not understand. Hale explained that she had been shown the device by Fischer, having got it in the Battle of New York's aftermath, and that it had been used to contact the Confederacy, having struck a deal with Qovas for protection from the war coming to Earth. Talbot questioned why he was not informed of this earlier, to which Hale revealed that it was not a military operation, confessing that she was an undercover HYDRA agent. Disgusted, Talbot questioned what flag Hale flew under, although Hale insisted this no longer mattered.

As Hale insisted that she did not chose HYDRA but had been born into it, she compared this to Talbot being born into their Air Force, although Talbot insisted this was not true. Hale continued to claim that Talbot stood by the country founded on oppression even after witnessing Daisy Johnson having shot him in the head, while Talbot insisted that Johnson herself was not to blame for what happened to him, claiming Anton Ivanov's army of Life-Model Decoys were the likely guilty party while Hale still blamed S.H.I.E.L.D. for the incident, insisting that their symbols were irrelevant in this upcoming war.

Talbot remained disgusted in while Hale noted that to win their war they needed an old HYDRA Device which Talbot quickly realised he had hidden himself. Despite Hale's instance that he had to accept her help, Talbot had refused to hand over the location of the device, claiming he would rather die. As a result of his refusal to help them, Ruby and the Sleeper Mechs grabbed Talbot and handcuffed him to a wheelchair before taking him away, with Ruby mockingly correcting his statements. As he was removed from the room, Talbot furiously insisted that Phil Coulson would be coming to his rescue.[15]

Broken Under Torture

"S-Stay quiet Stay quiet. Don't even make a sound. She'll...""Talbot. What happened?""Phil? I told them you would come. I tried to hold out. S.H.I.E.L.D. never came. I'm sorry, Phil. I told them everything. I held out as long as I could, but S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't show up. I'm sorry. Phil."

Having been locked back inside of his cell, Talbot was mentally and physically tortured under Hale's orders for several months in order to get the information they needed out of him. Eventually, having not been rescued by S.H.I.E.L.D. as he hoped, Talbot finally broke and revealed the location of the Particle Infusion Chamber as Hale had requested.[15] During this time, Talbot also underwent Faustus, in case he ever needed to be put back under Hale's control.[24]

During his time still being held as a prisoner, Talbot was eventually dragged outside of his room by the Sleeper Mechs under the direct orders of Ruby. As Talbot continued ranting as he still struggled to understand what was happened, he found himself reunited with Phil Coulson who had also been made a prisoner of HYDRA like him. Although briefly pleased to see his old friend, Talbot confessed that HYDRA had broken him and he had given up valuable information to them. As Ruby had her Sleeper Mechs drag him outside, Talbot still desperately apologised to Coulson for betraying him.[15]

"Hey, you quit it! Quit being so handsy!""Glenn, I know we're under a bit of strain here, but I'm gonna need you to use your inside voice.""This is my inside voice!""Okay. Then your softer inside voice."

Talbot was returned to his within the facility where he had continued suffering from the effects of a lack of food and water combined with extreme loneliness and the damage done from his bullet wound in his head. While clipping his facial hair and muttering to himself about his current poor state which was unacceptable for a man in the United States Armed Forces, Talbot was surprised by the sudden arrival of Phil Coulson along with Carl Creel who unlocked his door in order to rescue him, although Talbot struggled to recognise them.

Coulson then attempted to get Talbot onto his feet so they all could attempt to make their escape from the facility, with Talbot noting he was not in the best shape to travel from his room. While Creel had still blamed both S.H.I.E.L.D. and their Life-Model Decoys for getting Talbot in this state, Coulson insisted they worry about that later as he pulled Talbot up. While Talbot noted he wanted to see his wife and young son again, he loudly ordering Coulson to not be so handsy, with Coulson asking Talbot to be quieter, with Talbot insisting that he was being as quiet as he could be, much to Coulso's frustration.

As they continued moving down the corridors, with Coulson doing everything he could to try and keep Talbot quiet, Creel attempted to figure out the way out of the facility, noting that he had also been blindfolded when he arrived just as Coulson was, so he had no idea where the facility was actually located. As they kept moving, Creel suffered visions due to his exposure to Gravitonium as he continued seeing visions of Franklin Hall's past confrontation with S.H.I.E.L.D. which gave him incredible headaches. Although Creel attempted to ignore the pain and insisted that they continue moving, which caused Talbot to laugh at Creel for also suffering from mental issues.

Before they could reach the exit however, all the alarms were raised within their facility, alerting HYDRA of Creel, Coulson and Talbot's current escape attempt. Before long they were discovered by the squad of the Sleeper Mechs who attempted to take them back into custody. A fight then ensued, with Creel taking on the majority of the Mechs while Talbot struggled to figure out who to fight. Before long, Creel and Talbot had defeated all of the robots together, with Talbot shooting the final robot. To their sudden horror however, Creel and Talbot had discovered that Coulson was now lying dead.

As Talbot investigated, he discovered Coulson had been punched directly into the chest by one of the Mechs, stopping his heart as Coulson's wound from being killed by Loki had become infected. Talbot then begged Creel to do something and, despite still hearing the voice of Hall in his head, Creel managed to absorb the metal and electricity from one of the fallen Mechs and then used that to restart Coulson's heartbeat, much to everybody's great relief. Talbot jokingly noted that Coulson died more times than anyone he had ever met before acknowledging Creel deserved the praise before they helped Coulson back to his feet ready to continue their escape.[25]

Escape from Ruby

"Oh, no no! I'm not interested in going to outer space. I'm not a damn cosmonaut!""I think as long as we avoid the altitude dial, we should end up somewhere on Earth.""You know the Earth's 70% water, right?"

Making their way back into the corridors, Phil Coulson had ensured Talbot was walking in the right direction before Carl Creel had then stopped in his tracks, having seen that Ruby and her robotic Sleeper Mechs had come to confront them. While Coulson told Talbot not to make jokes about Ruby's blonde hair, despite Talbot noting he could think of several, Creel turned the group around and told them to run as Ruby ordered her Mechs to begin shooting at them.

When Creel reached the only exit he knew, he discovered that Ruby had already blocked the way, with Talbot jokingly comparing their situation to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. However Coulson seemed to spot a possible exit for them and ordered Creel to open the steel safe door, which he did by absorbing the steel into his hand and pushing inside the door itself. Ruby however caught up with them and challenged Creel to a fight using her Ring Blades while the Mechs were ordered to kill Coulson and Talbot. While Talbot ran with Coulson, Creel remained to ensure they had a chance to escape.

Talbot soon realised that Coulson's plan for their escape was to use the alien teleportation device which General Hale had been keeping on the base. Although Talbot insisted that he had no interest in going into outer space, Coulson insisted that if they did not use the altitude dial then they should arrive somewhere on the Earth, despite Talbot reminding him of the amount of water there was on the Earth. With the Sleeper Mechs closing in on them, Talbot reluctantly agreed as they activated the machine, which had then instantly teleported them onto a freezing snowy landscape somewhere on the Earth.[25]

As they made their way across the snow, Talbot was forced to stop for a moment due to his exhaustion and the extreme cold, although Coulson still insisted they had to keep moving just in case they were followed. Talbot then confronted Coulson over leaving him alone for months before questioning where he had been, to which Coulson claimed they had been in the future. This made Talbot laugh out loud as he questioned what kind of freak show S.H.I.E.L.D. lived in. When Talbot expressed his desire to leave this life, he confessed that Hale had finally broken him, and that he had let down the Air Force as well as his wife and young son, although Coulson still reassured him.

Just as Coulson was suggesting they find shelter and make a fire, Talbot stopped him in his tracks to avoid a Ring Blade which had been thrown by Ruby. The pair then desperately ran for their lives as Ruby gave chase, however before long Talbot lost his footing and tripped in the snow, allowing Ruby to catch up to them. Before Ruby could finish them off however, Quake suddenly appeared and used her powers to subdue Ruby, while Melinda May and Deke Shaw took Talbot and Coulson back to Zephyr One for their protection, leaving Quake and Ruby to furiously fight against one another.[24]

Return to S.H.I.E.L.D.

"I said cat, cat! I scared George, and I need to talk to my son. I need him to know I haven't forgotten him.""I'm sure he knows how much you love him.""I abandoned him, Agent Johnson! You don't get a second chance to fix a screw-up like that."

Once they had returned to the safety of the Lighthouse, Talbot then watched while Deke Shaw's gunshot wound to the chest was being treated by Piper as well as Alphonso Mackenzie, with Talbot still also speaking with Phil Coulson about the future which Shaw was from. Coulson explained that he had seen the Earth had been destroyed and the last of humanity had been taken over by the Kree. Having heard all this about the end of the world and travels in time, Talbot could only laugh at this explanation before nervously claiming that he should have stayed in his cell.

Coulson then explained that these Kree had seemingly not actually been the ones responsible for the Destruction of Earth as instead it was reportedly Quake who had destroyed it. Talbot then questioned why Coulson was still sending Quake out on missions despite this warning, with Coulson telling him that he still needed Quake to lead S.H.I.E.L.D. as an old injury was now putting his life at risk. Talbot then questioned if Coulson had any good news to tell him, being told of a young Inhuman who had seen a happier future which they were aiming for, before Melinda May came to talk to Coulson alone.

While he was looking at a map of Lake Ontario, Talbot was joined in the room by Daisy Johnson. However the mere sight of Johnson gave Talbot an flashback of[24] Johnson's Life-Model Decoy having shot him in the head.[22] Talbot then grabbed a tape dispenser and attempted to defend himself before snapping out of his panic and apologising to Johnson, noting that he knew she was not actually the one responsible for the shooting, as he blamed Anton Ivanov for the incident. Talbot apologised for the mission going wrong, resulting in Shaw's injury as Talbot claimed they should not have saved him.

Johnson then handed Talbot some new clothes before he then asked to speak with Carla Talbot to inform her that he was okay, although Johnson told him they could not risk it. Talbot then began ranting about how he had scared George Talbot while inside the hospital and how he needed to apologise to him. As Talbot furiously claimed he had abandoned his son and could not make up for it, Johnson then promised to find a secure channel to contact Talbot's wife, before explaining they needed to everything about Hale's secret facility and whatever Talbot had told her, which Talbot agreed to do.[24]

Faustus Reactivated

"I just want you to tell George that his dad's okay and his father loves him very much. I'm getting better. I'm getting stronger, and I'm not yelling as much.""Glenn, the doctors said you should take a deep breath. Calm your mind. You know what is best. What is best is you comply."

Talbot proceeded to tell Daisy Johnson everything that he had known about General Hale's secret facility and whatever he had told her during his time as Hale's prisoner, including the location of the Particle Infusion Chamber. Eventually Johnson returned to Talbot's room and informed him that they had managed to find a lead of Hale's location and thanked him for his good work, although Talbot was still unsure that he deserved any praise for his recent actions.

Johnson then explained that she had considered what Talbot had said about contacting George Talbot, noting that if she had known that her own father had cared while she was growing up it would have made a big difference. Johnson then gave Talbot a phone on a secured line which he could use to contact Carla Talbot which being traced. Talbot thanked Johnson and made the call, apologising to his wife for disappearing before promising that he was getting better. As it turned out, Carla was with Candice Lee who ordered Carla to recite the Faustus to Talbot, putting him under HYDRA's control.[24]

Attempting Kidnapping

"There are people who want to meet you. There are people who want to meet you.""Robin's getting tired. Maybe we could chat about this tomorrow.""No, tomorrow... tomorrow's too late. The mission's... The mission's today. The mission is now."

With the Faustus method reactivated, Talbot began to work on his secret HYDRA assignment which was kidnapping Robin Hinton. Talbot went to the Lighthouse's armory to pick up a handgun, then headed to the control room and used the video feed to locate where Robin and her mother Polly used to live in the base. He paused the corresponding camera right before Alphonso Mackenzie found him. Talbot explained that he was still quite confused, to which Mackenzie advised him to get some more rest.

Talbot went to the Hintons' room and found Robin's drawings. While he searched through the drawings, noticing one seemingly depicting the death of two people, Polly and Robin returned to their room. Polly asked Talbot about the reason of his presence and Talbot introduced himself, explaining that he was still a little lost. Talbot then tried to know more about Robin's abilities and asked her about a drawing showing the Earth being destroyed.

Talbot told the Hintons that there were people who wanted to meet Robin. Polly tried to interfere and in response, Talbot suddenly attacked her and choked her unconscious. Talbot then told Robin that she would come with him, something Robin already knew. However, while Talbot attempted to exit the Lighthouse, he was found by Phil Coulson and Mackenzie, who had discovered his actions. Talbot initially rejected Coulson's words about the brainwashing HYDRA had put him through, but he ultimately managed to beat the programming and let Robin go.

Talbot intends to kill himself

However, Talbot soon turned his weapon on himself, considering killing himself the only possible course of action. In order to stop Talbot, Coulson used the Faustus sentences, ordering Talbot to aim at him instead. As Talbot pointed the gun at Coulson, Mackenzie shot him with an I.C.E.R., incapacitating him.[26]

Gaining Powers

Complete Infusion

Due to his mental instability, Talbot was locked up in a cell in the Lighthouse. He kept repeating the same numbers and suddenly asked for Phil Coulson, who came to visit him in his cell. Talbot revealed that he had not only attempted to kidnap Robin Hinton: he had also helped outsiders to locate and come to the Lighthouse. Indeed, the Confederacy led by Qovas soon flied a gigantic spaceship over the S.H.I.E.L.D. base.

While struggling to find a way to make up for his actions, Talbot was found by Yo-Yo Rodriguez, who explained that she was here to escort him to safety. At firts, Talbot refused, preferring to go and fight the Remorath who were attacking the base, but he eventually agreed to be handcuffed and to go with Rodriguez. Talbot and Rodriguez made their way through the base, trying to reach the control room. However, they saw a Remorath in their path, forcing them to retreat to the lab, where they were reunited with Jemma Simmons, Piper and Davis.

Talbot was instructed to stay in the lab with Simmons while the others left to fight. As the Remorath were getting closer, Talbot picked up an I.C.E.R. and prepared to fight them. However, he bumped against the Particle Infusion Chamber which had been brought back to the Lighthouse. Talbot considered it a possible way to make amends and before Simmons could stop him, Talbot incapacitated her with the I.C.E.R. and reactivated the Gravitonium infusion process before entering the Chamber himself, screaming in pain as the process progressed.

Talbot emerged out of the Chamber with newfoud gravity manipulation abilities. He used it to crush the Remorath which were attacking the lab and made his way to the control room, where he killed the Remorath with his powers as well. As the S.H.I.E.L.D. team was safe, Talbot used his powers to lift Coulson and himself on a concrete plate so they could leave the Lighthouse.[27]

Overthrowing the Confederacy

Turn to Insanity

After locating Gravitonium in Chicago by Robin, Talbot launched an attack on the city trying to locate the source. He managed to get fragments of it from the streets before getting attacked by Daisy Johnson since Coulson was still healing from his injuries. Daisy tried to reason with Talbot trying to get him to stop, but insists on getting the Gravitonium to be a hero. Daisy reminded him that he was already a hero to his family since he enlisted in the military. His ego was proven too great and engaged Johnson in a duel all while telling they should work together to save the world much to Daisy's refusal.

Eventually getting the upper hand, Talbot decided to absorb Daisy to gain her powers to get the Gravitonium. Just as he was about to absorb her, she injected the Centipede Serum to enhance her powers and turn the tables on him. As he was about to attack her, Daisy used her power to fling him up into space where his body froze and perished from the vacuum, taking the Gravitonium with him.[28]

In an alternate future where the Centipede Serum was unavailable to Quake because it had already been used on Coulson, Talbot managed to absorb Quake and subsequently used her powers to help him mine more Gravitonium. In the process, Earth was gradually destroyed, killing much of humanity, leaving what remained of the surface an uninhabitable wasteland, and enabling the Kree to enslave the survivors. Due to poor retention of historical records, Talbot's name was lost to history, leaving Quake to be scapegoated for the cataclysm.[29][30][31]

Personality

Talbot was an extremely strong willed man. He was often quick to form judgements and opinions on situations and it is almost impossible to get him to change his mind.

Although he can be quick tempered, Talbot was very brave, often risking his life for others and putting himself into dangerous situations, as when he fought Carl Creel single-handedly and stepped out unarmed into the Providence base to question Phil Coulson.

He cared for his family deeply and had often put their well-being ahead of his own; he dedicated every Tuesday's lunchtime to spend with his wife. He agreed to help Gideon Malick frame Coulson after Malick captured his son, and he felt terrible for pointing a gun at Carla while mistaking her for Agent 33. During his time held captive by Hydra, he felt like he abandoned his family and lamented that his last encounter with George had him yelling at him and scaring him.

His relationship with Coulson was, in Coulson's own words, like The Odd Couple; Talbot withheld information and Coulson had S.H.I.E.L.D. act without the permission of the government. However, following all of the struggles they went through together, Talbot and Coulson came to regard each other as friends.

After getting shot in the head, Talbot suffered from brain damage, having trouble controlling his impulses and having an even worse time controlling his temper. Following the torture inflicted on him by General Hale and Ruby Hale for six long months, Talbot became even more mentally unstable such as muttering to himself constantly and easily breaking down over his uselessness, even contemplating on committing suicide while under the Faustus Method. His fractured mind was so much that he tormented himself by fusing his body with Gravitonium, with the same piece holding Franklin Hall and Ian Quinn, in a desperate attempt to redeem himself for his past mistakes, and save the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents from the Remorath.

"This is not a debate! I'm in charge here. You're either with me or against me.""Obviously, I'm with you.""Then kneel."

Absorbing the Gravitonium restored Talbot's confidence but greatly exaggerated his ego. He quickly assumed that he had become humanity's most powerful hero and though he did have the power to make such boasts, he became a complete hypocrite. Talbot's power drove him to force Qovas and the Confederacy to kneel before him, something the original Talbot would never have done even with his prior arrogance, and seeing Phil Coulson wary of his power and mental state led him to believe his friend and S.H.I.E.L.D. betrayed him, even renouncing his friendship with Coulson and forcing him to kneel as well. He became much more willing to kill, causally absorbing others into him and literally crushing those whom he hates, no longer taking into account the importance of life like he used to.

He no longer identified himself as human right before he killed Crixon to take his place in the Confederacy, further demonstrating his new god complex. He desired to become even more powerful, planning to absorb more Gravitonium to have the strength to stop Thanos, unaware that this action will cause the Destruction of Earth; however this can be interpreted as a fragment of his former self still wishing to save the world, even if the methods he went by then were corrupt. But he proved he was willing to betray and sacrifice his loyal friend Carl Creel by turning him into Gravitonium to absorb him, under the delusion it was a necessary action. He also became vengeful, using his powers to viciously crush Hale as revenge for abducting and torturing him. He even attacked Carla Talbot when she informed S.H.I.E.L.D. he was at her house and for putting him under the Faustus, and refused to understand she was only trying to help him, going so far as to try to absorb her like he did with Crixon and Creel. At this point, the only person Talbot truly cared for is his son George Talbot, unaware that he was scaring him when he restrained Carla against the wall or when he was trying to kill Alphonso Mackenzie and Elena Rodriguez, continuously trying to justify his horrendous actions to George. During his final battle with Quake, his maniacal thirst for power even led to him disregarding any concern about his son or the Earth itself, with Talbot stating he would absorb her to take her powers and "quake the land apart" to obtain all the Gravitonium contained within, despite this being the apocalyptic event S.H.I.E.L.D. warned would happen.

Because of his forcing his way into the Confederacy, turning against his former S.H.I.E.L.D. allies with the addition of threatening to kill them, and even terrorizing his own family, Talbot became every bit like the villains and terrorists he despised, deluding himself into the assumption he is a "hero".

Powers and Abilities

Powers

Gravitonium Infused Biology: Having infused himself with a large mass of Gravitonium, Talbot gained access to a variety of enhanced attributes. Unlike Ruby, Talbot apparently has full control of the Gravitonium's effects and was able to block out the minds of others inside the Gravitonium.

Gravity Manipulation: Talbot infused himself with Gravitonium, which gave him the ability to manipulate the gravity around him and generate local gravity fields. This in turn allows him to crush people the same way Ruby did to Werner von Strucker, force items to orbit around himself, repel people or items, and make items float by reducing gravity's effect on them, which, when used precisely, is analogous to telekinesis. He used this ability to leave the Lighthouse with Phil Coulson, floating them out on a chunk of the Control Room floor and to guide a Quinjet from space to Earth, as well as to lift to S.H.I.E.L.D. SUVs. Talbot can also create a protective gravity field around him, preventing Yo-Yo Rodriguez from approaching him despite her superhuman speed.

Flight: By harnessing his powers, Talbot can influence the gravitational field around himself, allowing him to hover and even fly.

Absorption: The Gravitonium changed the structure of Talbot's body, giving him the element's properties. As such, he was able to absorb Crixon and Carl Creel into his body by extruding tentacles of Gravitonium from his arm, much like how the element had absorbed Franklin Hall and Ian Quinn earlier. He is also able to absorb more Gravitonium into his body to augment his powers, and claims to be able to obtain any enhanced abilities his victims possess by absorbing them, a claim backed up in an alternate timeline where he caused an apocalyptic earthquake after absorbing Quake.

Collective Memory: Talbot was able to access the memories and information of those absorbed by the Gravitonium. This thereby gives him access to Hall and Quinn's respective consciousness as they exist inside of the Gravitonium. Through the knowledge of Quinn, Talbot immediately became aware of where Quinn had first found Gravitonium on Earth. He characterized this as Quinn telling him the information.

Enhanced Durability: After being infused with the Gravitonium, Talbot's physical durability was enhanced to the point where Quake's powers barely nudged him back. Mentally, he became immune to the effects of the Faustus programming when Hale tried to activate it. He was even able to physically endure a point-blank blast from Quake after she was enhanced by the altered Centipede Serum, only perishing as a result of being flung into the vacuum of space by the attack.

Abilities

Expert Combatant: Glenn Talbot has a large knowledge of the hand-to-hand combat taught by the United States Armed Forces. He demonstrated this while fighting Phil Coulson and Carl Creel. Later with the help of his powers, he was able to kill several Remorath.

Trivia

In the comics, Glenn Talbot is an enemy of the Hulk and right hand man of General Thaddeus Ross. He was also temporarily married to Thaddeus' daughter Betty Ross. During the fifth season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the Marvel Cinematic Universe version of Talbot became an amalgamation of both his comic counterpart and Graviton, Franklin Hall's alter ego in the comics, ultimately adopting a costume based on the one worn by Graviton in the comics, as well as the goatee that Hall has.